NYC Bans Trans Fats - Debate?

[Bichon Barb]

NEW YORK (AP) — The Board of Health voted Tuesday to make New York the nation's first city to ban artery-clogging artificial trans fats at restaurants — from the corner pizzeria to high-end bakeries.

The board, which passed the ban unanimously, did give restaurants a slight break by relaxing what had been considered a tight deadline for compliance. Restaurants will be barred from using most frying oils containing artificial trans fats by July and will have to eliminate the artificial trans fats from all of their foods by July 2008.

But restaurant industry representatives called the ban burdensome and unnecessary.

"We don't think that a municipal health agency has any business banning a product the Food and Drug Administration has already approved," said Dan Fleshler, a spokesman for the National Restaurant Association.

Health Commissioner Thomas Frieden said recently that officials seriously weighed complaints from the restaurant industry, which argued that it was unrealistic to give them six months to replace cooking oils and shortening and 18 months to phase out the ingredients altogether.

The ban contains some exceptions; for instance, it would allow restaurants to serve foods that come in the manufacturer's original packaging.

Trans fats are believed to be harmful because they contribute to heart disease by raising bad cholesterol and lowering good cholesterol at the same time. Some experts say that makes trans fats worse than saturated fat.

Full Story: http://www.syracuse.com/newsflash/h...5320555139790.xml&storylist=health&thispage=1

So...

I'm all for restaurants serving healthier food, but is government going too far with this?

With the smoking ban, at least there was the second-hand smoke argument. Personally though, I also felt as though a bar owner should set the rules for his own business.

What about restaurants serving food that is cooked in very unhealthy fat?

Discuss...

 

[Fitswimmer]

Here come the Food Police. Guess where this is going to lead? Taxes on "unhealthy" foods the way cigarettes are now taxed. More people die of diseases like heart disease that have causation factors in unheathy eating, than die from cigarette related diseases now. So, the rationale will be that because of the costs of medical care for all these overweight sick people, taxes on the unhealthy foods are necessary.

 

[momof2inPA]

I think it's ridiculous. Is butter included? Just think what that would do to all the gourmet restaurants.

 

[Beth76]

I think it's ridiculous. If people want to eat transfats then they should. I try to avoid them whenever possible, but sometimes I want a big greasy burger. It's my responsibility to judge what goes into my mouth.

 

[Miss Jasmine]

I think it's ridiculous. Is butter included? Just think what that would do to all the gourmet restaurants.

Butter does not have trans fats.

While I do not think the government should step in a require this, I do not think people realize how damaging trans fats are to their hearts. I have removed practically all trans fats from our diet other than eating out, and lucky for me, a lot of restaurants are moving toward eliminating trans fats on their own.

Again, I do not think the government should tell the retaurants what to do.

ETA: a big greasy burger probably does not have trans fats, the bun might, but the burget itself no.

 

[KristinBelle]

This doesn't really bother me because I don't think the food tastes any different without it.

Please don't throw trans fats at me.

 

[Beth76]

ETA: a big greasy burger probably does not have trans fats, the bun might, but the burget itself no.

Excellent! Bring on the burgers, hold the bun!

 

[Bichon Barb]

I've read that the stuff is equal to poison. When I was in high school I worked for KFC and remember those big blocks of fat that they use in the fryers. This, is the stuff I believe they are talking about and want to outlaw. It would be nice if fast food restaurants would switch to better oils on their own, but would they do that without government interference?

But that still doesn't change the fact that government seems to be getting worse and worse about dictating our lives. Like my 78 year old mother says "Just wait until they start telling us what we can and can't do in our bedrooms!"

 

[Bichon Barb]

What is Trans Fat?

Basically, trans fat is made when manufacturers add hydrogen to vegetable oil--a process called hydrogenation. Hydrogenation increases the shelf life and flavor stability of foods containing these fats.

Trans fat can be found in vegetable shortenings, some margarines, crackers, cookies, snack foods, and other foods made with or fried in partially hydrogenated oils. Unlike other fats, the majority of trans fat is formed when food manufacturers turn liquid oils into solid fats like shortening and hard margarine. A small amount of trans fat is found naturally, primarily in some animal-based foods.

Trans fat, like saturated fat and dietary cholesterol, raises the LDL cholesterol that increases your risk for CHD. Americans consume on average 4 to 5 times as much saturated fat as trans fat in their diets.

Although saturated fat is the main dietary culprit that raises LDL, trans fat and dietary cholesterol also contribute significantly.

 

[momof2inPA]

What is Trans Fat?..
Although saturated fat is the main dietary culprit that raises LDL, trans fat and dietary cholesterol also contribute significantly.

Soooo, why not ban saturated fat instead?

Personally, I just can't eat much fat anymore. I don't feel well afterward. Proteins, fruit, veggies, whole grains.. that's about all I eat, but that's my choice. Other people should feel free to make their own choices. You can't legislate a healthy lifestyle. People will still eat Snickers and be couch potatoes.

 

[Bichon Barb]

Soooo, why not ban saturated fat instead?

Personally, I just can't eat much fat anymore. I don't feel well afterward. Proteins, fruit, veggies, whole grains.. that's about all I eat, but that's my choice. Other people should feel free to make their own choices. You can't legislate a healthy lifestyle. People will still eat Snickers and be couch potatoes.

Just playing devil's advocate, because I'm not a fan of big brother, but I guess one could argue that saturated fat at least comes from natural food sources. Trans fat is man made.

 

[marc1477]

I think it's ridiculous. If people want to eat transfats then they should. I try to avoid them whenever possible, but sometimes I want a big greasy burger. It's my responsibility to judge what goes into my mouth.

I agree totally here.

 

[MzDiz]

I think a lot of people are missing something here. Restaurants will still use fats and make the same greasy (or non-greasy, as it were) foods that they're making now, they'll just be using natural fats instead of nasty fats. The restaurant patron will not know the difference, if anything, the food may just end up tasting better.
People are going to eat what they're going to eat. This has nothing to do with legislating a lifestyle. It has everything to do with removing a product from the market that should never have been in the hands (and stomachs) of consumers in the first place. I, for one, hope more cities follow this example.

 

[Bichon Barb]

Bump

 

[mrsltg]

Butter does not have trans fats.

While I do not think the government should step in a require this, I do not think people realize how damaging trans fats are to their hearts. I have removed practically all trans fats from our diet other than eating out, and lucky for me, a lot of restaurants are moving toward eliminating trans fats on their own.

Again, I do not think the government should tell the retaurants what to do.

ETA: a big greasy burger probably does not have trans fats, the bun might, but the burget itself no.

 

[Hedy]

I could eat a box of butter and eggs and consume no trans fats. I could chg a gallon of olive oil and consume no cholesterol.
I think it's an over-reaction.

 

[Laura]

This doesn't really bother me because I don't think the food tastes any different without it.

Please don't throw trans fats at me.

I agree.

But I think if someone wants to eat the stuff, they should be allowed.

 

[Fitswimmer]

I think a lot of people are missing something here. Restaurants will still use fats and make the same greasy (or non-greasy, as it were) foods that they're making now, they'll just be using natural fats instead of nasty fats. The restaurant patron will not know the difference, if anything, the food may just end up tasting better.
People are going to eat what they're going to eat. This has nothing to do with legislating a lifestyle. It has everything to do with removing a product from the market that should never have been in the hands (and stomachs) of consumers in the first place. I, for one, hope more cities follow this example.

It's not this law specifically and what it does that concerns me. It's where it will lead. We already have "sin" taxes on cigarettes, once certain types of foods are understood as "sinful" there will be an easy rationale to add those to the list of things states can tax to raise additional money. Of course, it will be labeled as necessary for schools or for medical costs for all the fat people, but the bottom line is that it will be the government punishing us for what we eat. If I want to go to McD's once every blue moon and pig out on a Quarter Pounder and Fries, I shouldn't have to pay extra taxes on it because others can't stop themselves from eating 3 meals a day there.

 

[MzDiz]

It's not this law specifically and what it does that concerns me. It's where it will lead. We already have "sin" taxes on cigarettes, once certain types of foods are understood as "sinful" there will be an easy rationale to add those to the list of things states can tax to raise additional money. Of course, it will be labeled as necessary for schools or for medical costs for all the fat people, but the bottom line is that it will be the government punishing us for what we eat. If I want to go to McD's once every blue moon and pig out on a Quarter Pounder and Fries, I shouldn't have to pay extra taxes on it because others can't stop themselves from eating 3 meals a day there.

I dunno, I don't think it's the same thing. I liken this to restaurants being required to wash their produce before serving it. The consumer will not be able to tell the difference. Nobody's saying that people shouldn't be able to eat fries when they want to, just what they should be cooked in.
Oh, by the way, skinny people have heart disease and high cholesterol, too. You should watch your karma the way you're throwing around all this blame on the "fat people".

 

[CapeCodTenor]

It's not this law specifically and what it does that concerns me. It's where it will lead. We already have "sin" taxes on cigarettes, once certain types of foods are understood as "sinful" there will be an easy rationale to add those to the list of things states can tax to raise additional money. Of course, it will be labeled as necessary for schools or for medical costs for all the fat people, but the bottom line is that it will be the government punishing us for what we eat. If I want to go to McD's once every blue moon and pig out on a Quarter Pounder and Fries, I shouldn't have to pay extra taxes on it because others can't stop themselves from eating 3 meals a day there.

My thoughts exactly. I'm a firm believer in personal responsibility. If someone can't stop themselves away from going to McD's then that's their problem. I went through a period where I ate out at a lot of fast food joints...and you want to know something? I was able to stop myself from going. Yeah, it was tough, no doubt about it. It got to where I wanted it every day, but I was able to stop.

To take from the Gay and Lesbian groups saying, the government should stay out of my bedroom? Well, the government should stay out of the kitchen.